Even with health coverage, dental procedures almost always carry a big sticker shock for the patient. The New York Times suggests a few ways to lower or space out the costs of dental care for insured and uninsured alike.

Along with seeking out dental school and community clinics, which can often perform professionally supervised procedures at a fraction of private care costs, the Times recommends spacing out any procedure that would put a wallop on your wallet all at once:

Working with the dentist on payments, says Dr. Mark Wolff, associate dean at the New York University College of Dentistry, is much better than putting the bill on your credit card and paying high interest.

Another way to negotiate, says Dr. Wolff, is to plan extensive treatments in phases. Say you need a crown. Your dentist may be able to put in a temporary filling for several months while you use that time to save for the permanent crown.

How have you managed the cost of costly dental care and procedures, with or without dental coverage? Tell us your tips in the comments.